A droplet separator in accordance with EP 1 930 059 A1 includes a flow passage through which a droplet charged gas can be conducted and through which this droplet charged gas can flow along a main flow direction. A separation element is arranged in essentially annular shape about the flow passage and has an inner jacket surface, which substantially has the diameter of the flow passage, and openings for the inlet of the droplet-charged gas into the separation element. The separation element extends at least over a part of the length of the flow passage. It has a grid-like structure. A vortex generating apparatus part is arranged with a guide surface in the flow passage and the droplet-charged gas can be brought into a rotary movement by means of the vortex generating apparatus and droplets can be directed by centrifugal force in the direction of the separation element. At least a portion of the droplet-charged gas can be redirected from the main flow direction in the direction of the openings by the guide surface.
Further it is known from the prior art from GB 1 557 307 a three stage column type droplet separator. In the first stage a mixture of a liquid and a gas is introduced and a tangential flow is induced by the deflecting elements, to separate larger droplets from the first stage at the wall of the housing of the droplet separator. In the sump of the column shaped droplet separator, a collection reservoir is foreseen for the liquid separated from the gas. The first, lowermost stage is separated from the second, central stage by a horizontal lateral wall, in which a tube is integrated, which forms a connection for the droplet containing gas into the second stage and also into the third stage. In the second stage, the tube contains an opening, by which the droplet containing gas enters into the chamber of the second stage. In the second stage, the liquid is precipitated on the inner wall of the tube and in the gas flow guided through the opening, which can be transformed into a tangential flow in the chamber of the second stage and is guided by a bypass conduit in the third, uppermost stage. The uppermost stage contains two droplet separators which are arranged one above the other. In the lower one of these droplet separators, the gas enters from the tube.